


in my joys, in my sorrows, in my choices, in my tears

by evening_spirit



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Drug Use, Gen, Mental Illness, PTSD, Trauma, mentally unstable parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:45:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22556932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evening_spirit/pseuds/evening_spirit
Summary: One possible scenario of TK's and Owen's backstory. I believe the 9/11 trauma had much more of an impact not just on Owen, but on TK as well.
Relationships: Owen Strand & TK Strand
Comments: 8
Kudos: 89





	in my joys, in my sorrows, in my choices, in my tears

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote it after 1x02, but as the next episodes didn't completely blow it out of the water and this episode sort-of reinforced the idea... I figured I'll post it.  
I still think I'm probably mostly wrong, but... maybe I'm not? Let me know what you think :)

**June 19th, 1998**

TK was the proudest five-years-old at the kindergarden on the Father's Day. Oh, maybe Jimmy said that his Dad also saved people, because he was a Doctor, but TK knew that Jimmy played with the fire truck all the time. And Katie said her Dad was even better, because he was away, defending the America from Bad People, but then she cried a little. And when TK's Dad came over, and let her try on his big helmet she grinned so wide, you could see plugs in her teeth. So whose Dad was the best?

TK's Dad, that's who.

**September 11th, 2001**

TK was seven when the planes hit The Towers. He was at school. They weren't told until after second period and he wasn't allowed to call Dad, or even Mom. He didn't know anything until Mom came to pick him up in the afternoon, crying. She didn't know anything either. It was the scariest day of TK's life.

**September 20th, 2001**

TK had to be quiet around the house all the time, because Dad's all friends had died and he couldn't sleep and his leg was burned and it hurt so bad, he had to take pills that made him talk strange things. So TK was quiet. He would do anything to make his Dad better. Because his Dad was alive, while so many other Dads and Moms weren't.

**February 2nd, 2002**

TK was always proud of his Dad, but maybe never as proud as he was when his Firehouse reopened. Dad talked to every Chief and every Captain and every Superintendent – that was a difficult word, but TK learned it – in New York and made them hire new people and let Dad work back at his old Firehouse. TK believed that once Dad got his old work back, he would start taking TK back there again, like he used to. Or to Central Park on his off days. Or they would get back to building that railway in the garage. But he knew not to push, not yet. Mom told him not to.

**May 13th, 2002**

Mom and Dad had never argued so bad before 9/11 and TK couldn't understand why Mom was so mean to Dad now. She'd always told him to be quiet around Dad, to not upset him, because Dad had some bad memories and triggers, like the guns had. Like, if you pulled them – or said the wrong word, or screamed too loud – he would blow up, like a gun. He might hit you, or yell at you, or not remember that you were you. Mom explained everything to TK, so why couldn't she understand that and be quiet around Dad, so as not to upset him?

And, worse, she argued with Dad about TK. She told TK not to pester Dad about unnecessary games or that stupid railway, or going back to the Firehouse, but now she yelled at him that TK missed him and just wanted to spend time together. He didn't! He told her that in secret! Dad didn't need to be pestered about it!

**January 29th, 2003**

TK wasn't sure what woke him up, but then Dad was right there, next to his bed.

"Wake up." He shook his arm. "Wake up, son, we gotta go."

"Why, what's going on?"

"No time. You know the drill? No explaining during an emergency." TK knew. But he wasn't sure there was an emergency, not really. It had happened too many times already, that Dad woke him up in the middle of the night, because he'd had a nightmare about a fire or a collapsing building.

"Dad, wait."

But Dad was stronger than TK, and determined. He picked him up with ease, just in his pj's, and ran through the house, bent low and shielding TK from invisible danger.

Outside, it was five feet of snow and not more than three degrees Fahrenheit and crazy wind.

"Dad, it's cold," TK whined. "Let me go back home."

"Don't worry, they'll be here soon, stay put."

Firemen came alright. Dad got a reprimand. TK got pneumonia.

**August 3rd, 2003**

Mom filed for a divorce. TK wanted to stay with Dad, but Mom said Dad needed to get therapy, before she'd let him anywhere near TK. After he and Mom moved out, he only met with Dad when Mom, or Uncle Benny were around, for almost a year. But Dad got therapy and he got better. And even then, Mom didn't let TK live with Dad.

**November 8th, 2009**

TK moved out from Mom's the day after his sixteenth birthday. Dad was more than happy to welcome him in his Manhattan apartment.

**#**

Drugs were just there. Dad had them for some old injury, not even a 9/11 one, that sometimes acted up. TK couldn't explain why he took them, but one day he came back from school and he woke up at the hospital, having overdosed. Just like that.

He spoke to the nice lady Doctor. She asked if he was bullied at school, because he was gay. He said he was, even though it wasn't the truth. But it was what she expected to hear. She asked if it was a call for attention and he said that it probably was. But he knew how to pull himself together and a few months later she smiled at him and said she was proud of his progress and that he didn't need to come see her anymore.

Mom pestered him to move back in with her all that time, but TK wanted to stay with Dad.

**July 4th, 2011**

Mom was pissed. Dad was… Well he was both proud and a little reluctant about TK's choice of career. But, he said, he'd always known TK would follow into his footsteps. He just hated that he would have to worry now.

It was sort of a joke and TK knew that.

"No need to, Dad. I'm awesome, just like you," he assured with a shy smile.

All he'd ever wanted, was that his Dad was proud of him and there was nothing Dad was more proud of, than being a Firefighter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. :)  
If you want to chat about the complicated relationship between Owen and TK (or about Carlos, I'm always open to talk about Carlos), come find me on tumblr: [eveningspirit](https://eveningspirit.tumblr.com/). I don't bite. :)


End file.
